Supermodel Claudia Schiffer talks about her kids and family

German supermodel Clauda Schiffer, 36, gave the German newspaper Bild a short interview in Cannes in which she spoke about her kids and family. She is married to producer Matthew Vaughn, 36, with whom she has children Caspar, 4, and Clementine, 2 1/2. Here are some highlights from the interview:

On making more movies: I consider this matter closed. I did some movies but back then I didn’t have a husband and children. I think that actresses who have children have to love their job so much that they prefer to some extent to be separated from their families [in order to make a movie]. My passion is my family and the world of fashion. [My family] is the reason why I reject 80 percent of the shootings I’m offered.

On Clementine becoming a model: If she really wants to do it, I would support her because I only had positive experiences. I would help her to find the right agent. But I would prefer that she wouldn’t start too young but at 17.

What does she wish for? I only want that my family and I stay healthy. Since having children this has been my only wish.

On having a third child and adopting: I don’t rule it out but it would be nice if my daughter is a bit older. If I hadn’t been able to have children on my own, I would have done it [adopted] for sure. But with having my own family it isn’t an option for me anymore. But I think it’s great if people do it.

Source: Bild.de

Thanks to CBB reader Cornelia for translating the interview.

Comments

Children who are adopted are NOT any less their own parents than those children who are born to them.

A thump to your head Claudia to think so, much less say so.

Stick to modeling, will ya?

- Principesa on May 31st, 2007

I think we shouldn’t be so sensitive with how things are worded. Claudia probably didn’t mean anything by saying “own family”.

Why does every word have to be so politically correct nowadays?

- Sarita on May 31st, 2007

I don’t know… something about her statement that “actresses who have children have to love their job so much that they prefer to some extent to be separated from their families…” kinda bugs me. I think most parents, men and women, struggle with striking the balance between doing work you love and that feeds you as an individual (or that you need to do just to pay the bills) and spending time with your children. This statement just seems very simplistic and even judgemental, to me.

- Roger on May 31st, 2007

oh relax. you know what she meant. it is you who seems to have a problem because there’s a little difference between bio and adopted kids. either they came out of their present mom or the other one. big deal.
she just wanted to say had she not been able to make her own kids *sigh okay?* she wouldn’t have minded to adopt. That is nice coz there are some people who cant have their own kids and they choose to never adopt.

- Sophie on May 31st, 2007

I agree Sophie. Claudia is just being honest. A lot of people who do adopt, have adopted because they couldn’t have bio children of their own, and there’s nothing wrong with that because they still become a mother. But a lot of people I’m sure many woman on this site have bio kids, and aren’t planning on adopting because they feel like Claudia does. Plus during interviews celebrities are always asked about adoption now, since it seems the last few years more and more celebrities are doing it.

- Adriana on May 31st, 2007

Roger, I agree with everything you said.

- Pamela on May 31st, 2007

Sophie,

I respect how important it is to speak well.

The phrase “own kids”, using it as she has IS offensive.

What she should’ve said was ‘if I hadn’t been able to have children biologically….’ BIG difference.

As it stands, she makes it sound like kids coming to their families via adoption are somehow less because they aren’t “their parents own”.

We adoptive parents get asked “do you have children of your own?” too often; it is disrespectful, hurtful and ignorant.

Just imagine YOUR kid being told they aren’t their parent’s own. Then, I would hope you would understand my POV.

- Principesa on May 31st, 2007

Yes yes I totally understand you (and I am glad to hear you have adopted children!)
But I would also like to point one things out. The interview might have been given in german seeing how she is german and the magazine as well, so perhaps what she said was “If I hadn’t been able to have children ON my own”
Eh, don’t worry about it. I don’t think any less of adopted children and most people don’t either so all is well. And of course they are of your family. To tell you the truth I know complete bio families who I can’t talk highly of, but I know some with adopted kids who are the truest families you could imagine. To me a family is a group of people who value and take care of each other, not necceseraly only those gentically related.

- Sophie on May 31st, 2007

Hello there,

I think the real meaning got lost in the translation. What she said wasn’t offensive at all in her language.

I would translate said sentence to “If I hadn’t been able to have children ON my own…” (not able to fell pregnant).

I don’t know if this is a correct English sentence. But yeah, she wasn’t offensive.

- clarify on May 31st, 2007

there you go.

- Sophie on May 31st, 2007

I agree – her comments weren’t nearly as abrasive in the original German. German is my native tongue, and I read the original article. German, as a rule, tends to be more blunt than English when you translate it word-for-word.

- lis on May 31st, 2007